Nightshade

The nightshade family supplies some important dietary staples. The tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper all belong to this plant family, although they are each representative of different genera within the family. The botanical name of the tomato is Lycopersicum esculentum, the potato's is Solanum tuberosum, the eggplant is Solanum melongena, and peppers are named Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens longum, Capsicum fructescens conoides: bell pepper, cayenne pepper, and chili pepper, respectively. With the exception of the potato, which is a tuber, the fruits of this group of plants are used as vegetables, for seasonings, sauces, and soups.